Golden-headed Quetzal - BirdForum Opus

Photo by Stanley Jones
Refugio Paz de los Aves, Ecuador, December, 2007

Pharomachrus auriceps

Identification

Length 33.5-35.5cm
Male
Brilliant emerald green above, with scarlet chest and belly.
Head is forest green with golden sheen on top.
Wings black with white patches.
Bill orange-yellow
Female
Brilliant emerald green above (not as bright as male), with brownish chest and orange belly.
Head is brownish.
Wings black with white patches.
Bill brown
Juvenile
Brilliant emerald green above (not as bright as an adult), with scarlet chest and belly (not as bright as an adult) .
Head is brownish.
Wings black with white patches.
Bill orange-yellow

Female
Photo by Jose Ramon
Near Nanegalito, Pichincha province, Ecuador, November 2014

Distribution

Central America: Panama
South America: Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia

Taxonomy

Subspecies

Two subspecies are recognized:^[1]

• P. a. hargitti:

• Mountains of eastern Colombia and western Venezuela

• P. a. auriceps:

• Mountains of eastern Panama to northern Bolivia

Habitat

Sub-canopy and mid-levels of subtropical and temperate forest on both slopes of the Andes, mostly between 1000 and 2800m.

Behaviour

Diet

Frugivorous. Swoops to take fruit with a flutter of wings.

References

1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2014. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.9., with updates to August 2014. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
2. Avibase
3. BF Member observations

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2021) Golden-headed Quetzal. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 29 April 2021 from https://www.birdforum.net/wiki/Golden-headed_Quetzal

External Links

Search for photos of Golden-headed Quetzal in the gallery

• View movie-file of this species (in Picasa video format) here.